And So It Begins... IRONMAN!

You may have been listening this morning when I made the announcement on the air - I am trainging for Ironman Canada. This is easily the most daunting physical challenge I have ever attempted, but there's a very good reason for it.

Like many of you, my life has been significantly affected by cancer in recent years. If you've been in the BC Cancer Agency or similar treatment facilities, you know that there are so many people that need help in battling this disease.

After watching these people confront the challenge of their lives, it has inspired me to challenge myself. I will train to swim 3.8km, cycle 180km and run 42km on August 30th in an effort to raise money for cancer treatment.

In the next couple of days, I will have more information for you. There will be a link to a donation page should you choose to support this cause, and there are some exciting announcements on the horizon with regards to some corporate sponsorships.

Stay tuned!

Fun in the Sun

Jetted down to California for the weekend to hang out with my wife while she undergoes some training for her new job. I love Canada, but you can't beat the sunshine after so many days of cold in the Great White North.

Couple of things for you as I post this from poolside down in Irvine:

Super Bowl
Great finish to what was shaping up as a lackluster game. Kurt Warner will be haunted by James Harrison in his dreams for years to come; the Cardinals could very easily be gripping the Lombardi trophy today if not for what will go down as one of the biggest defensive plays in the history of the Super Bowl. I thought a couple of the calls during the game were borderline at best (roughing the passer for a little push in the back on a qb as big as Roethlisberger?!?), but I'm glad the Steelers had to make a big play to win it. That grab by Holmes was unreal, and it was worthy of the game that it won.

Commercials
I was a big fan of the Pepsi Max ad where guys were getting hit in the head with golf clubs and being electocuted only to respond "I'm good." I also enjoyed the E-trade commercials with the babies that talk like adults -"Shankopotamous" is entrenched in my vocabulary now. That said, the freaky Conan O'Brien Bud Light ad was outstanding, and I'm going with that as my favorite. I know Doritos won the popular vote, but Conan made me howl with that Swedish commercial spoof. If you missed the Super Bowl ads, go to www.hulu.com and check them out.

Cranky Canucks
Shane O'Brien sounded off after practice today. Apparently he is none too pleased with his role as a healthy scrtach for back-to-back games. Alain Vigneault says he needs O'Brien to cut down on the needless penalties he's been taking. That's reasonable, but O'Brien has a case for himself too - he was +7 in the atrocity known as January in which the Canucks won two of twelve games. Mattias Ohlund was -10 during the same stretch and Kevin Bieksa was -8. Vigneault can sit whomever he wants, but he'd better hope the beaking by O'Brien is just an isolated incident. If more players start voicing their displeaure with their individual roles, start planning tee times. This team has NO chance of winning if they all start worrying about their personal agendas.

What's Shakin'?

A short hiatus, but nothing to be concerned about. Big week for North America; Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States. No matter what your politics, it's tough to not argue that he represents hope for a nation desparately in need of it. Sports fans take note: Obama is unwavering in his belief that his success is the direct result of his involvement in basketball throughout the course of his life. It may sound simple, but those who stick with athletics are handed the tools to a prosperous existence, regardless of their wealth.

Ok, that sounds way too academic for some sports guy... here's a couple of other things on my mind.

1) I have an uneasy feeling about the BC Lions this off-season, and I'm waiting to see how it all shakes down. The past few years, players viewed BC as the franchise that would give them the best chance to win, but it seems as though that belief is weakening. Don't get me wrong; the Lions are still a top-notch orgnaization. But this year will be a big test, especially if they lose Rob Murphy and Jason Jimenez. Walter Stith could step in for one of them, but losing both would sting. That said, I believe at least one of them will be in BC, but I can't say the same for those Saskatchewan linebackers the Lions covet. Anton Mckenzie has re-upped with Gang Green, and Maurice Lloyd, the guy Wally Buono really wants, is rumoured to be heading to Edmonton with his former defensive coordinator Richie Hall. The next few weeks are going to be interesting as free agency approaches. I still maintain it was a MISTAKE to cut Jason Clermont, but time will tell.

2) Did you see the front page of the Vancouver Sun today? The Olympics are going to cost us $6 Billion. I hope most people made their way topage A9, which broke that figure down. The actual dollars were $5.84 billion, but $3.88 of that cost was for the following projects: $1B for the Sea to Sky highway project, $0.88B for the Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre, and $2B for the Canada Line. NEWSFLASH: this province/city needed those things done. How many senseless deaths and accidents have there been on the Vancouver-Whistler highway because it was not equipped to handle the volume? How much business has been turned away because the downtown corps could not accommodate the amount of corporate interest that exists to bring conferences and events to Vancity? And what kind of metropolis does not have efficient mass transit from its airport to its centre? These initiatives should have been in the works long ago, and I'm glad something acted as a catalyst in getting them underway.

3) The fighting debate in hockey is only getting started. Another ugly incident tonight in Philadelphia, where Garret Klotz convulsed on the ice after Kevin Westgarth of the Monarchs drilled him with three heavy blows to the head. Klotz didn't hit his head on the ice, but the optics are not good in the wake of Don Sanderson's death. Both players removed their helmets. The fight was off the opening faceoff, meaing it was orchestrated rather than the result of emotion within the game. The chances of this producing a ban on fighting in hockey are slim, but the pressure from non-hockey fans is going to be intense for awhile. I firmly believe that a rule prohibiting players from removing their helmets or undoing their chinstraps will be instituted in all levels of hockey by next year. There's not a quality counterargument against it. "We don't want to cut up our hands on visors and helmets." Oh, I see. You think its ok to protect your hands, not your heads. When I see an MRI that shows a brain located at the end of hte arm instead of in the skull, we can talk. Until then, keep your bucket on your melon.

And then there were four...

Great weekend of football, not such a great weekend for the Canucks. Mats Sundin is going to need some time to get up to speed. The thing that makes it tough for him is that expectations are in mid-season form while he is in pre-season form. Though most fans are willing to cut him some slack while he knocks off the rust, it's understandable that there is frustration in Vancity as the losses continue to mount in Roberto Luongo's absence. Looks like he'll be back between the pipes later this week, but the Canucks can ill afford to watch Luongo go through a similar reacclimation process.



As for the NFL, a couple of things that caught my eye in the divisional round with the teams that lost:



Philip Rivers: forget what the stat line says, he didn't step up with the spotlight focussed squarely on him. He threw for 103 yards in the first quarter and ended with a 62 yard touchdown once the game was already out of reach. Too bad the game was lost in the meantime. Rivers did not deal with defensive pressure well against the Steelers - he either pulled the ball down too early and conceded a sack or he looked rattled and just threw the ball away. If he wants to take the next step, he'd better learn to deal with pressure in his face in big games.



Eli Manning: Despite last year's Super Bowl MVP trophy, he still isn't in the same class as his brother or Tom Brady. Those two can win games by themselves, making average players play above their normal capabilities. Eli still needs outstanding talent in his receiving corps to win in the playoffs. You might think Plaxico Burress is an idiot, but he's also a game breaker and the Giants missed him badly. With that running game on his side, Eli should have been able get more out of his receivers than he did.



Panthers defense: how do you let Larry Fitzgerald abuse your secondary like that when you don't have Anquan Boldin to worry about? Fitzgerald was quite clearly the biggest weapon on the Cardinals offense, yet he ran uncovered for most of the first half. I'm sure John Fox and company are wondering why they didn't have their best cover guy follow Fitz wherever he went and play zone over top of him as well.



Keep it real and I'll check in later this week.

Five Golden Rings

All right, so they're medals, not rings... But the feat of Canada's World Junior Teams is no less impressive... Once again, our guys saved their best for last... Way too many memorable performances to list, but this year's squad provided a number of memories that have been indelibly burned in my brain...

But it's about time I make something clear: CANADA IS ALWAYS THE FAVORITE

I don't know how many times in the last five years I've heard that either Russia, the US, or Sweden was the pundits' pick to win the tournament only to hear O Canada played once the final whistle had sounded. Canada has won 10 of the last 17 tourneys and finished with the silver four times. Every other country that competes has won three less golds and Canada isn't named the favorite every time around?

Ask any other team which country they measure themselves against and they'll answer Canada every single time. There are teams that consider it a successful tournament if they lose in respectable fashion to Canada. That doesn't mean that our kids will be golden every single year, but when you are the benchmark fo success, that is the real definition of "favorite".

Playing for Keeps

What a day in sports...

I thought I was headed for an early divorce with my yelling and screaming at the end of the Canada/Russia game at the World Juniors. Like most of the country, I thought Canada had blown it with that weak goal by the Russians with less than three minutes to go in the third. But Jordan Eberle - WHL product I might add - cemented his place in World Junior history by not only scoring with 5.4 seconds to go in regulation, but by undressing the Russsian goaltender in the shootout. Kudos to John Tavares for scoring the clinching goal in the shootout and for his last-ditch assist on the tying goal. The New Year's Eve game against the US and this most recent win over Russia are right up there with the most dramatic wins in Canada's World Junior history. Can't wait for the Monday night finale.

Solid start to the NFL playoffs as well. Hands up if you thought Arizona's defense was going to be the difference against Atlanta. Yeah, I know the Cards scored 30 pts, but 14 of them came off of turnovers. Good for Zona for winning a playoff game, but you get the sense that it's all over next week when they go on the road. As for the Chargers, will LaDanian Tomlinson be a part of the future in San Diego? It seems like a bizarre question to be asking after his record breaking season of two years ago, but Darren Sproles took over tonight's game against the Colts. 328 all-purpose yards?? In the playoffs?? Unheard of. That said, this game was lost on a 3rd & 2 from the Indy 8 yard line with 2:29 to go in regualtion. I can't remember the last time Peyton Manning needed a short conversion on 3rd down and didn't get it. I still don't dig the overtime rules in the NFL, but when a team marches 75 yards on you with the season on the line, you don't have much to complain about.

By the way, if you're looking for a good restaurant with very reasonable prices in the Main Street area, check out Le Faux Bourgeios. Had dinner there tonight with my wife and we thought it was great. Good atmosphere too, but make a reso.

New Year, New Plan

So................ it's been a while to say the least. Sometimes life doesn't stop for blogging and there were a few challenges in the past three months that got in the way of posting. I'll leave it at that except to say that things are looking up in that department.

I also have figured out that quick posts more often is the way to go, so that's the plan for '09. There will be the occasional lengthy diatribe, but I'll be making a concerted effort to chime in on the Toul Box more frequently.

That said, here's a few thoughts as we kick off the New Year:


1) Mats Sundin - I firmly believe he's going to have a significant effect on the Canucks. He'll make whomever he plays with better, and take pressure off the Sedins to carry the scoring load. He also symbolizes to Roberto Luongo that this team is willing to make moves to win now. That's an important gesture in the process of getting Luongo signed to an extension this summer. I also expect Mike Gillis to go after an offensive defenseman and perhaps another scoring winger now that Vancouver is poised to save anywhere from $1.75-$2 million in salary cap room because of Luongo's injury.


2) World Juniors - How jacked were you watching that game against the US the other night? What an effort from the number one nation in hockey after falling down 3-0 early. Tavares' second goal was ridiculously good and Dustin Tokarski came up HUGE after a shaky start. Russia and Sweden are still scary, but once again, Canada is the team to beat. Bring on Gold #5!


3) NFL Playoffs - I can't remember a playoff season that has featured so much mystery, as to which teams will be in the Super Bowl.

Who's the favorite in the AFC? Tennessee doesn't make me think they've got the chops to win more than one round if any, and Pittsburgh had better get its offense figured out if they want another shot at the Lombardi trophy. The hottest squad is Indy, and given who handles their quarterbacking that might be the team to beat despite the fact the Colts are the #5 seed.

If you had to pick a favorite in the NFC, I guess you'd go with the Giants, but something tells me they won't have enough to get it done without Plaxico Burress, who was the big play receiver that scared opposing secondaries. Carolina has thrashed teams on the ground, but can Jake Delhomme beat a quality defense through the air if need be? The team with the potential to shake up that playoff bracket is the Philadelphia Eagles, who are hot at the right time of the year.

4) Bowl Games - love 'em. You don't have watch many of them if you're not a college football fan, but it's a great way to become one. USC looked awesome in the Rose Bowl yesterday and tonight's Sugar Bowl should be interesting with most people getting their first look at Utah. The Utes game against Alabama is one of the things I love about college football - a chance to find out just how good a "little team that could" is by pitting them against one that has received tonnes of media coverage all season long.

Are you Ready for some...

Football. It was all football, all the time this past weekend and I was treated to three terrific contests live.

It started with SFU (a university team I help coach) knocking off the second-ranked University of Saskatchewan 27-17 at BC Place on Saturday. Pretty significant win for our team for a couple of reasons. First, SFU hadn't won a game since 2004, and have now won two of three to start the season to jump into a four-way tie for first place in the Canada West. Second, this was the first time the Clan have ever defeated the Huskies; getting over that mental hurdle against a perrenial powerhouse is immeasureable in terms of confidence for these kids. Especially when you consider our guys outscored the Huskies 24-1 in the 2nd half to erase a 16-3 deficit.

Later that night, I witnessed a hard-hitting affair between the Lions and Roughriders under the dome. The Leos won 28-23, the most significant thing to come out of this game was the utter disdain these clubs have for each other. Don't get me wrong; each team has a tonne of respect for the other. But these guys don't like each other and it shows. Rob Murphy and Kelly Bates were pushing and yapping with Scott Schultz and Maurice Lloyd. Tyrone Williams accused Glen January of punching him in the junk. This Saturday's rematch should be a brawl in Regina, and I can't wait to see it.

Sunday I was bookin' it down the I-5 in my speedy RX-8 in order to take in the Seahawks home opener against the 49ers. If you haven't been to an NFL game in Seattle, make plans to change that. The atmosphere is electric, the stadium is gorgeous and each game is choreographed so well from an operations standpoint. The weather was brilliant and so was JT O'Sullivan, the quarterback for my beloved 49ers. I couldn't believe I was watching this undrafted journeyman scorch the Seahawks secondary to the tune of 321 yards. Joe Nedney's winning field goal in overtime capped a perfect day in the Emerald City.
(Sidenote: Alice in Chains played with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra at halftime. They collaborated on Led Zeppelin's Kashmir and it was outstanding.)

So here's what I've got for ya heading into this week:

The Jones Index

There are 27 guys playing in the NFL with the last name Jones. Here's how I rank the cream of the crop right now:
1. Felix Jones (DAL)
2 td's in his first 2 NFL games, one on a kickoff. He's a more explosive and versatile version of Julius Jones, who left Dallas in the offseason.

T-2. Julius Jones (SEA) and Thomas Jones (NYJ)
Think these guys are brothers by any chance? Each has a 100+ yard game this season and each has scored 1 touchdown. The scary part is they are separated by exactly 1 yard rushing through the first tow weeks of the season.

4. Walter Jones (SEA)
Cleared the way for Julius to rack up 127 yards and didn't allow a sack.

5. James Jones (GB)
First TD catch of the season gets James into the Top 5.


Fancy the Freshmen

Looks like a trio of rookies is going to get an extended look at Canucks training camp. Cody Hodgson has been the apple of Mike Gillis' eye since he drafted the 18 year-old in June. Hodgson stood out during prospects' camp and will be given every opportunity to crack the lineup. Same goes for Michael Grabner, although Grabner's a triggerman while Hodgson is all about the dishes. Third on the list of young guns to watch at camp is Jannik Hansen, who the Canucks have been waiting on since that impressive debut in the 2007 playoffs. Hansen was talked up heading into last year's camp, but broke his thumb and spent the rest of the season trying to thumb a ride back to Vancouver.
The interesting speculation has to do with who gets the boot if those youngsters can crack the roster. Gillis has barely whispered Taylor Pyatt's name during the offseason, so I wonder how high he is on the former triplet. Matt Pettinger's name has also been conspicuously absent from discussion, although he's a more natural fit on the 3rd line and could wind up playing with Kesler and Burrows.
Defensively, it looks like Lukas Krajicek's days are numbers. Maybe that's just how I see it, but Gillis said he wanted a tougher team and that's not exactly Krajicek's forte. Rob Davison appears to be the guy brought in to replace Krajicek, as he plays the rough and tumble game that Gillis is looking for. Also keep an eye on Kevin Bieksa as he is potential trade bait. I really like Bieksa's game and hope for the sake of Canucks' fans they keep him, but he's the only top four d-man without a no-trade clause and the Canucks are probably confident that Edler can slide into that slot.

Fall is in the Air...

So here's the summer in a nutshell. Got married, took a bit of time off, started coaching football at SFU. That pretty much sums up the last two months other than slaving away at my job - yeah, I know, it's pretty demanding to talk for a living.

But now, my sports senses have been revitalized. It's September. CFL's in full swing, college football is started and the NFL kicks off. Throw in baseball's stretch drive and NHL training camps and you've got reason to be invigorated if you have any sort of sports pulse whatsoever. Here's what I know right now:

Showtime

With all due respect to the Giants and Redskins scrimmage, the NFL kicks off in earnest on Sunday. Brett Favre makes his Jets' debut in Miami, Aaron Rodgers begins filming The Replacement in Green Bay, Tom Brady starts his rehab from last year's Super Bowl loss against a JV team from Kansas City, while NFL Hollywood (aka the Dallas Cowboys) visits the Dawg Pound in Cleveland (no, that's not where Michael Vick is incarcerated). The best thing about the NFL is that you can make a solid case as to why 22 of the 32 teams have legimate reason to be thinking postseason. Here's who I'm picking to make the playoffs:

AFC NFC
1. New England (13-3) 1. Dallas (14-2)
2. San Diego (12-4) 2. New Orleans (11-5)
3. Jacksonville (11-5) 3. Green Bay (11-5)
4. Pittsburgh (11-5) 4. Seattle (10-6)
5. Indianapolis (11-5) 5. Philadelphia (10-6)
6. Denver (9-7) 6. Carolina (10-6)

I know there are way trendier picks like Minnesota, Buffalo and Cleveland to consider, but I'm playiing a couple of hunches on this one. As for my guys in San Francisco, the 49ers will be better than people expect them to be, but it won't be enough for a playoff spot. I'm saying they win between 6-8 games and are back in the hunt for the postseason in 2009.

Scrambled Dave
Somebody needs to take the ball out of Dave Dickenson's hands. I've trusted this guy's judgment over the facts for the past couple of seasons, but he's been speaking from his heart instead of his head. Dickenson has been placed on the 9-game injured list with post-concussion symptoms following some big hits against the Eskimos on Monday. That outing marked the first real game action for Dave since last November. If you get concussed AGAIN in less than a half of football after resting for nearly ten months, you are not fit to play no matter how much you love the game. If Dicksenson had absolutely no life outside of football and was doomed to wander the earth in vain after his playing days, I might understand him playing until he couldn't stand up anymore. But we're talking about one of the brightest and most thoughtful guys I've ever met in professional sports, and he's got a young a family to boot. His brother is a coach in Calgary. Craig, take away his jersey, please.

Sundin = Pipe Dream
How many different ways does Mats Sundin have to say he's not coming to Vancouver without actually saying it? I can't believe that there are actually some fans who believe this is even a possibility (if any of you are reading this, I have some investment opportunities at a little firm called Enron to talk to you about). Mike Gillils made his best pitch to get Sundin and the big Swede said "no". He said it very politely, and the words were much more complimentary, but it ain't happenin'. Expect a team with much younger faces than you saw last year which should resutl in more excitement if not wins.

I've Still Got a Pulse...

Other than getting married this summer, I've got no real excuse for the lack of activity on this blog. Those of you who've gotten hitched will probably cut me some slack, the rest of you will tell me to shut it. Either way, this blog is more outdated than Bmac's record collection.

I will fire the keyboard up immediately after Labour Day weekend. The Toul Box will be back and better than ever starting next week. Hope you're all enjoying your summer - even though these last few days have felt like winter.

The Young, the Old and the Beautiful

Summer, summer, summer time. I'll just sit right back and unwind.

Looks like summer is just around the corner, which is always a great excuse to quote the Fresh Prince. My bbq and patio are ready to rock, and I'm getting married in less than two months which means theres isn'ta whole lot of time for bloggin' but here goes...

• What looked like a dream matchup for the NHL could quickly turn into a nightmare unless the Penguins can muster some sort of comeback on home ice. Just three years after the NHL lockout, everyone was buzzing with anticipation for a showdown between the Red Wings and Penguins - two teams full of skill and speed, not clutch and grab. The proof that folks were geeked? Versus had its 2nd highest audience EVER for game one of the Stanley Cup, trumped only by Lance Armstrong's final ride at the Tour de France. But that interest is sure to wane (if it hasn't to a certain degree already) if the Pens don't start competing in this series. Blowouts are very rarely compelling, so I'm hoping that the flightless birds can win a pair at the Igloo to push this series to at least six games even though I picked the Wings to win it all at the start of the post season. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have yet to score (along with everyone else in a Pens uniform), but Malkin is far more concerning that Crosby, who at least seems to be generating chances. Malkin looks like a shadow of the player that dominating his competition for the better part of 90 games this season. Is he hurt? Is he tired? Is he just a young player learning what it means to compete on the biggest stage in hockey? Whatever the answer is, you've got a better chance of finding Malkin on the back of a milk carton that in the scoring summary right now.

• Damon Allen will announce his retirement tomorrow and leave the CFL with a very interesting legacy. Statistically, he is the greatest quarterback in the history of the game; he's passed for more yards (72,381) and run for more yards (11,920) than any other pivot to ever lace 'em up. But ask CFL fans where he ranks on the alltime list, and he might not even make the top five. Doug Flutie, Ron Lancaster, Russ Jackson, Warren Moon and Matt Dunigan are often held with more regard in the minds of Canadian football aficionados. The reason? Allen was not nearly consistent enough on a game to game basis for the liking of most fans. When he was having a good day, he was as good or better than any quarterback that has ever played because of his amazing athleticism and veteran poise. I once played in a touch football game against him and watched college level athletes struggle to even put a hand on him as he glided around the field. But when he was off, he made you wonder where he was throwing the ball. My personal opinion? He deserves to be in the discussion of the all-time greats, but he doesn't come out on top. The one thing I will say about Damon Allen - he was money in the Grey Cup. His teams may not have advanced to the league finale as often as they should have, but Allen never disappointed in the CFL's showcase event. He played in 4 Grey Cup games, won them all and was named MVP in 3 of them. Tough to beat that championship resume.

• I don't follow soccer as religiously as the diehards, but I have to admit that I'm stoked for Euro 2008. Part of that has to do with the fact that it's the largest event in the beautiful game next to the World Cup, but part of it has to do with last week's Champion's League Final. I'm neither a supporter of Manchester United nor Chelsea, but any sports fan couldn't help but be captivated by Man U's 6-5 shootout win. That game had it all; goals, chances, animosity, heroes, villains and goats. Falling on penalty kicks might be the toughest way to lose a championship, but it also makes for high drama. You think John Terry (Bill Buckner) is going to sleep much this summer after slipping and hitting the post on what should have been the winning strike for Chelsea? I PVRed the game and will watch it again before Euro '08 gets started next week just to get fired up again. By the way, I'm picking Italy as I do every international event, although I'm concerned that the sqaud isn't hungry enough after winning the World Cup. Yeah, I know; how does a redhead support Italy? My grandma's Italian and you can take it up with her if you want, but I don't like your chances. She's tough.

I Can't Grow a Playoff Beard

Still can't get rid of a couple of bare patches on my face, so it's a good thing I'm just watching the playoffs, not participating in them. I've already spilled enough ink on the Dave Nonis firing, so if you want my take on that situation, check out my Metro Columns from this week.

As for recent rumours on who the next GM in Vancity might be, I keep hearing people whispering the name Mike Gillis. Gillis is a big name agent who has represented the likes of Markus Naslund, Bill Guerin, Curtis Joseph, Bobby Holik, and Pavel Bure just to name a few. He's a tough-as-nails negotiator who successfully sued Alan Eagleson in the 80's after Eagleson tried to cheat him out of over $4ok of Gillis' injury settlement at the end of his NHL career. He doesn't have any GM experience, but he is very connected and obviously a great negotiator.

But I digress since there's actual hockey being played these days. Here's a few things that have jumped out at me in the first week of the postseason:

• For as much as we talk about the veteran goalies needed to take a team to the promised land, it's a pair of still-wet-behind-the-ears puckstoppers that have impressed me the most. Carey Price and Marc-Andre Fleury have both been fantastic thus far. Price isn't that much of a surprise given his superb play at the World Juniors 16 months ago and his stellar form en route to being named MVP in leading Hamilton to a Calder Cup in his first two months of pro hockey last spring. Plus when guys who played with Dryden and Roy think you're ready to backstop the Habs as a rookie, you're doing something right. Fleury, on the other hand, was a big ol' question mark heading into the playoffs. He was great down the stretch but wasn't exactly consistent in lat year's playoffs for the Pens. But he allowed just 5 goals in a first round sweep of the Senators, and if you watched that series, he was a big reason for the broom.

• Can anyone figure out what's going on in the Sharks/Flames series? I haven't seen ol' Mo flip flop this much since Sihota's days in Victoria. Just when you think one team has the other figured out, the struggling squad rises up and snatches control of the series. San Jose's win in the final seconds in Game 4 makes me believe the real Sharks are back to win the series, but that probably means the Flames will look like the '89 Cup winners in Game 5.

• Unlike the way the Flames came back with Mikka Kiprusoff in game 4, I would leave Dominik Hasek on the bench in Detroit. Hasek hasn't inspired any confidence whatsoever in the past two games, and looks to be a bigger hurdle than the Nashville Predators. Chris Osgood was as good or better during the season, and deserves a chance to prove the same in the playoffs.

• If you think that playoff teams have to manufacture dislike for each other, check out the Avs and Wild. Those dudes should be in the Octagon this Saturday for UFC 83 in Montreal. There is genuine rivalry in that series, and the intensity seeps through the television screen. Advil should jump on board to sponsor this first round matchup.

• As pissed off as Canucks' fans are right now, would you rather be in Ottawa? That team was actually expected to do something this year and they were brushed aside like a bantam team by the Penguins in the first round. If you had to deal one of the big three to shake it up in O-town, who would it be? Alfredsson is the oldest, but arguably the most productive of the bunch right now. Spezza's passing could make an allstar out of an average winger, but some are questioning his fire. And Heatley is a sniper to be sure, but was he even dressed in the playoffs? Chances are they'll stay together, but Brian Murray probably isn't resting to comfortably right now in the GM's chair.

One final thing, for those of you who like your rock 'n roll but haven't played Guitar Hero - get in the game. I went to a GH party a few weeks ago and rocked out in a Bret Michaels' costume. And I'm not alone; I've heard a tonne of NHLers and other pro athletes swapping scores and stories in the locker room. Enjoy the pics, grab an' axe and grind!

Case #03-02-08

"Hello, police? Yes, I'd like to report a theft. The Vancouver Canucks just stole two-and-a-half hours of my life this afternoon and I'd like it back."

I know you run the risk of being disappointed with your program selection every tie you sit down in front of the tv, but that loss in Chicago should have been censored. There wasn't even a warning prior to viewing. How do you not even show up for a game at this point of the season? I'm not offended as a Canucks' fan, I'm offended as a sports' fan. Alain Vigneault canceled practice today in Colorado, almost as if to say "go up to your room and think about what you've done".

That said, the Canucks can right a lot of wrongs with a win tomorrow night in Colorado. Given the way they've lost their last three games, the local lads look like big underdogs heading into what should "Welcome Back Foppa" night in Denver. But they did shock all of us back in early November when they went into the Pepsi Center, where the Avs were perfect at the time, and pull out a 4-3 victory. That win was on the heels of what was previously the low point of the season (since trumped by Sunday), a 3-0 loss on home ice to Nashville that saw the Canucks also lose Sami Salo and Kevin Bieksa to ugly injuries. Either way, tomorrow's tilt will say a lot about the internal fortitude of this year's group.

As for other stuff...

• Have you ever been this excited about watching a pair of Russians try to outdo each other in order to win the NHL scoring race? I'm as proud a Canadian as you'll find, but the excitement generated by Alex Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin transcends any borders that some of you might have in the hockey world. The latest offering - Ovechkin's first period hat trick en route to a 5 point night that saw him reclaim the lead for the Art Ross Trophy by two points over his countryman. Ovechkin has been must-see-tv for almost three years now and Malkin has vaulted himself into that category in just his second season.
  

• If you get a chance to see CBS golf announcer David Feherty speak in public, find time in your schedule. We interviewed him live on the morning show prior to his address before the PGA of BC and he did not disappoint. I asked him about rumours that he has farting contests on the course with Tiger's caddie Steve Williams during tournaments. He not only confirmed it, he also implicated Tiger himself, saying that you "might be in for a crop dusting" if you pass behind the world's best golfer.

• If Randy Moss hadn't re-signed in new England, he would've been a bigger idiot than he appeared to be in Oakland. The trade to the Patriots probably salvaged his legacy as one of the greatest receivers to ever play the game despite his sometimes unsavory temperament. Moss converted numerous fans that doubted his ability to buy into a team-first approach, but if thinks that he'll enjoy the same type of success wherever he goes, he's mistaken. Yes, there are other quarterbacks that can get him the ball, but there aren't many organizations that will insulate him from media scrutiny the way the Pats did. That may have had as much to do with his success as the offense he played in.
  

• American Gangster - enjoyed watching it on the weekend. Another great performance by Denzel Washington and a very intriguing story about the way Harlem was governed on the streets in the late 60's and early 70's. I'm recommending it if you're looking for a rental any time soon, although I would warn those of you with kids to think twice about the violence and language.

Last but certainly not least, I wanted to post a couple of links based on some emails I received. Some of you asked about my columns on Canucks.com which are published biweeky, so I've set up a new link on the side for those interested. Also, one of my listeners did the Canuck Place Adventure Challenge last year and has set up a blog to let you know what's up with both the race and Canuck Place itself. His name is Malcolm and I would encourage you to check it out when you've got a minute - it's a phenomenal charity and a worthwhile place to contribute to if you have some extra money to give.

www.canuckplaceadventurechallenge.blogspot.com

Frustration in Canuck Nation

Well, you've got your answer to the question "Deal or No Deal?" Canucks' fans. With all due respect to the Matt exchange (Cooke for Pettinger), Vancouver basically stood pat on trade deadline day and that isn't sitting well with most in the lower mainland.

But make no mistake; this is not an isolated incident. The lack of a deal to land a significant upgrade to the Canucks' offense on deadline day is simply the culmination of nine months of waiting for such an announcement. Dave Nonis made it perfectly clear after seeing his club get downed by the Ducks' last spring that three elements were lacking: grit, speed and scoring. Byron Ritchie, Brad Isbister (to a lesser extent) and Aaron Miller upped the sandpaper quotient, while Ryan Shannon and Mason Raymond have increased the team's speed. But nothing was done to address the need for secondary scoring.

That's not to say that Nonis didn't make an effort to do so. He went so far as to knock on Peter Forsberg's door in Sweden as early as last July, and I have no doubt that he tried to acquire both Brad Richards and Olli Jokinen. Unfortunately, none of those efforts yielded the scoring that the Canucks need to give them a legitimate shot at a deep playoff run. Stranger things have happened (like Anaheim and Minnesota in the 2003 Conference Final), but the cards are stacked against the Canucks in the West right now. Should Vancouver contend for a Cup in a year, this will all look like part of the master plan. But based on what last year's team did in getting to the 2nd round, this year's squad deserved a better chance to go further.

Other stuff I don't quite get:

1) Is a 2nd round pick really the best that the Habs could get for Cristobal Huet? Considering the Leafs picked up a 2nd & a 5th rounder for Hal Gill, Bob Gainey and company appear to have been shortchanged by the Capitals. That deal makes the least sense to me out of any that were made at the deadline.

2) Why are people asking the players and the NHLPA to limit no-trade clauses in contracts? And wasn't it also the owners and GMs crying about the big $$ being handed out to players during the NHL lockout? So what do these teams do immediately after the work stoppage - they hand out long-term deals for massive amounts and throw in a few no-trade clauses for good measure. Last time I checked, GMs are also involved in the negotiation process. To quote Brian Burke, "maybe we should just say no [to a few of these conditions] instead of asking a bunch of lawyers in New York to fix things for us". I don't agree with everything you say Burkie, but amen.

3) Is Jason Jimenez suspended or not? I know that we are in the middle of the CFL's off-season, but how big of a joke is it that a ruling has not been made on a guy who committed a transgression last November? Not that there's a game any time soon, but it's this type of foot-dragging on logical issues that gives non-CFL fans another reason to dub it a "bush league". I love the product and admire the skill of the players, but the management of the league drives me insane sometimes.

Final Point: If the Richard Zednik incident made your stomach turn, don't go renting Eastern Promises anytime soon. Great movie that was worthy of the praise it received at the Oscars, but the Russian mob handles their "business" in a very similar manner to the way in which Zednik was nearly fatally wounded.

Back In the Saddle

All right... I've been downright negligent with this blog over the last two months, but that all stops now. Here's what's been happenin'. December was, well, December. Holidays, family, skiing and all the great indulging in good food and drink just like the rest of you.

January, on the other hand, was all over the map. Bmac and I took the show on the road to Mazatlan for a week. Good times were had by all and it looks like we're doing another Mexico trip next year (get your tickets NOW!). Upon my return, I had the first surgery of my life when I had arthroscopy on my right knee. No big deal, just a bit of torn meniscus, but it's pretty cool watching your own surgery. I elected to take a local anesthetic instead of a general, so that I could watch all the slicin' and dicin'. Bottom line, I'm back running again and feelin' good, so here's what's on my mind these days.

Canucks
Call me a homer if you want, but I still think this group makes the playoffs. The resolve I've seen from Markus Naslund to Alex Burrows in the past week makes me think they'll play hard enough to earn the requisite amount of points prior to getting healthy. Once they get a few bodies back, this team makes the post-season cut with Roberto Luongo being the biggest reason.

Shaq
So many people are ripping the Suns decision to trade Shawn Marion and Markus Banks for the Big Diesel. Two things: 1) Marion is extremely talented in every area of the game (despite his grade 3-looking shooting stroke), but he wasn't happy in Phoenix anymore; and 2) the Suns have tried to win in the playoffs without a true center for three straight years and it hasn't worked. Unfortunately, this year wasn't going to be any different. Shaq might not end up being the answer, but kudos to Steve Kerr and Mike D'Antoni for getting a guy that can defend the big-time big men in the West.
footnote: Shaq apparently told Steve Nash, "I won't let you down." He's a tough man to beat when he's motivated.

Roger Clemens
Think he's more pissed at Brian McNamee or Andy Pettite for opening their respective mouths? The Rocket can deny, deny, deny all he wants, but if this "evidence" that McNamee has turned over has any credibility whatsoever, he's in trouble with way more people than the Baseball Writers of America. A spot on the doorstep to Cooperstown sounds a lot more comfortable than one in a jail cell with an angry man named Tito. But Pettite's decision to come clean after he'd been called out for using HGH hurts Clemens as much as anything. Are we to believe that McNamee was telling the truth about one former pinstriper but not the other? What could he possibly have to gain by doing that? Innocent until proven guilty, but my gut tells me that Clemens is paddling against a pretty strong current.

Hugh Hefner
He's 81. His playmate girlfriend is 28. They are trying extremely hard to have a baby and telling anyone who'll listen. God bless America. Is there anyone out there that believes Hef actually wants another kid (he's got 4 already)? I'm thinking this has a whole lot more to do with the trying than the baby itself.

That's all for now, but as always, feel free to drop me a line with your 2 cents.

NEGLIGENT!

That's a nice way of putting it. Man, between the morning show, Canucks' games and a couple of columns, I've found a way to utilize the most minutes on most days. That being said, there's no excuse for not blogging for over a month, so instead of apologizing any longer, here's what's on my mind:

There's no I in Team
While the team concept is still the one that wins championships, this era of parity in the NHL has me ore interested in individuals than teams. The salary cap appears to have snuffed out any hopes of a dynasty although if the Pats can do it in the NFL, theoretically it should be possible in hockey as well. My point is this - I'm more interested in seeing an elite player than an elite team these days because the gap between individuals is bigger than the one between teams. The worst team in the league has at least a chance of beating the Stanley Cup champs because the salary cap limits how many great players you can keep together. It also means teams are forced to sign guys who make the league minimum in order to get under the cap, and these are the players that end up on the wrong side of highlight packs when they face elite talent. An era that was designed to keep teams competitive may also end up bringing back the forgotten idea of real Superstars.

Guaranteed Regurgitation
Is there anything more played out than the "guaranteed win" by a player leading into a game or a series? I'm not talking about promotions that minor league ball teams do in order to get fans out to the yard; at least those clubs are putting their money where their mouths are. I'm talking about guys like the Steelers' Anthony Smith, who "guaranteed" a win over New England this Sunday. How many times have we heard this from athletes who barely ever back it up? Joe Namath, Mark Messier... pretty short list of guys who actually step up. And what do the rest of them say when they fall flat of their faces? "I was just trying to motivate the team." Here's an idea - pick off Tom Brady twice on Sunday and take one of those to the house. I "guarantee" that will motivate your team a hell of a lot more than some empty promise with absolutely no repercussions.

Minority Report
Is the National League becoming a farm system for the AL? Yes, I'm well aware that the Cardinals and the Marlins have won World Series titles in the last five years, but all of the big names seem to be flocking to where the designated hitters hang out. The Yankees, the Red Sox, the Tigers, the Angels... they all have star power that is so rare in the NL. Don't get me wrong; I was pulling for the Rockies just like a lot of you were. But it's like going from Harry Rosen to the Bay. You can still find some nice things at the Bay, but you have to look a LOT harder.


That's it for now, but jump in with your own thoughts and I'll be posting again sooon.

Spare Some Change?

Some things will never change; Kid Rock just got arrested again for a fight in a Waffle House. But for the love of Tom Brady (who's as close to the other guy as you can get right now), can somebody change some of these rules that are tarnishing their respective games? These tweaks seem so obvious to me that I can't understand why they haven't happened yet:

NHL: 4 or 5 minutes for Blood
Is this not the most illogical rule in hockey? If a player is cut by a high-stick the penalty is more severe despite the perceived intent. So I can try to lift a guy's stick, miss and wind up in the box for twice as long as a player who's clearly reckless with the lumber? Makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. How about doling out minutes based on the actual action instead of the result? Last time I checked, you don't get five minutes in the sin bin if you rip a guy's sweater when you hold him.

CFL: Conceding Safeties and The Rouge
So let me get this straight. We create a rule that forces a team to return the ball every time it's kicked, but we still allow punters to take a knee in the endzone so that the opposition doesn't get good field position? It's boring, fans hate it and it doesn't truly reward a team for pinning it's opponent deep. Yeah, I know that you get two points and the ball as well, but if you're not going to amend the safety rule, at least make midfield the automatic field position instead of your own 40. That would make coaches think twice about conceding the deuce. And as for awarding a single point on a missed field goal, gimme a break. You shouldn't be rewarded for failing.

NFL: Allowing Coaches to call Timeouts
This rule is what's allowed the bench bosses to call timeouts a fraction of a second before a kicker attempts a field goal. If a team can get the snap and kick off before we actually hear the whistle, there's a problem. I'm not saying you shouldn't be able to freeze the kicker, but make a player on the field call for a break. Is it that tough for a coach to signal in to his team that he wants a timeout in that situation? I guarantee those timeouts get called a couple of seconds earlier, and we don't have to sit there and wonder if the game-winning attempt we just saw was legit. What happens when one of these kickers or holders gets hurt on a play that doesn't even count?

MLB: Instant Replay
I'm not talking about taking away the strike zone from the umpires. But we've had two cases in the last two weeks of players hitting homeruns and not being awarded the roundtripper. Sure, baseball is already a long game, but if the umps blow a big call on the basepads that can affect the score and the cameras catch it, I think you need the ability to get it right. Especially in the postseason. If they can do it in tennis, I think they should be able to do it in baseball.

NBA: Too Many Timeouts
Other than the 30 coaches in the Association, find me someone that doesn't agree with this one. Newsflash: these guys have all played the game since they could stand upright. They know the ball needs to go in the hoop if they're losing. Please stop sucking the life out of the little drama that currently exists in the NBA. I know it's a lot to ask to coach up your team in practice or signal something from the bench, but how about we let the guys on the court decide which play to run. Otherwise, we'll just hand you suits an X-box controller and duke it out in cyberspace.

All I Want Before Christmas...

If you like sports, this is the best time of the year. Hockey starts up, the CFL is in full swing, the NFL season has begun to take shape and playoff baseball is underway. With that in mind, here's what I'm praying for in each of the aforementioned leagues.

• Meltdown in Cowtown: I'm not sure there's anything more anticipated than Mike Keenan's first verbal dousing of the Flames. At some point the Flames will go through a drought of some sorts (every team does), and Iron Mike will explode. You think the media is Calgary is happy to have this guy replace flatliner Jim Playfair?

• UFC '07 - Ultimate Football Championship: If there is a God of Football, the Lions and Riders will hook up in the West Final in November. BC's fiesty 37-34 win in Saskatchewn was not only the best game of the CFL season, it was also the testiest (insert Jeff Pilon/AJ Gass joke here). There's nothing better than two really good teams that don't like each other, and the battle to represent the West in the Grey Cup could be a streetfight with highlights.

• Winners Only: IF the Patriots and Cowboys win this week, it sets up a matchup of 5-0 teams in week 6. If the Pats win that game and the rest on their October sked, they'll head into Indianapolis where the Colts may also be undefeated. All of the dominoes have to fall into place, but to see Moss vs TO in Dallas and then Brady vs Manning with perfect records on the line... you will need a taser to get me away from the LCD.
  

• The Bronx is Burning: If Alex Rodriguez rips it up in the postseason, will the fans forget all of his poor past playoffs? It would be just like Yankees' fans to worship at the A-Rod altar after verbally burning effigies of him on radio talk shows and in the New York dailies. It'd be nice to see the Yankees NOT win the World Series, but for A-Rod to hit .500 in October. Then who will they blame?
  

I'm also looking forward to Van Halen's Vancouver stop, the next Indiana Jones and the imminent cancellation of the Cavemen tv series, but I digress. You want to tell me what's on your wish list for the near future, drop me a comment.

A Simple Plan

Here was a rule in my high school and probably yours as well. If you were going to have a party at your house, you checked to see if anyone else was having a party that same night. That way, you didn't end up with chips, dips and dorks in a virtually empty house on that rare Saturday night when your parents were out of town. Pretty simple, right?

So why do so many teams have trouble with their scheduling?

I know. There's building availability and broadcasters to worry about, but some of these games just boggle your mind.

For example... the Vancouver Giants want a packed house for their home opener this year. They'll raise their Memorial Cup banner and blow the doors off with their game presentation. So why would the Giants allow the WHL to slot them at the same time and on the same night that the Lions host the Calgary Stampeders in a pivotal West division showdown? Sure it's a Saturday night and both games should be well-attended, but a lot of people who attend Lions games also go to the Giants. Why should they have to choose? Plus, for a game like that, you want all of the media focus on your team. Instead, it will be split.

It's like the braintrust in Montreal deciding to play last Sunday's Lions/Als game at the same time the NFL kicked off it's opening weekend. Great decision; I'm sure no one will be watching the most popular league in North America that day. How many viewers and potential fans were lost? Could the game not have been played on Saturday or Friday? It's going to be tough to get a date with a girl when you show up with your good-looking, successful, single friend that she's always had a crush on. Same principle applies here.

Sure I understand that at some point you have to say "we're not going to let other events dictate what we do", but these examples seem pretty straight forward to me. And that's why I won't schedule my big press conferences to coincide with any of Britney's Comeback Tour dates. I need the publicity.

The 3 C's: Convick, Cuts and Canucks

What's up cyber sports fans? Spent the past week getting used to my new schedule as a regular columnist for Metro here in Vancouver, but now that I know the ropes, I'm good to fit it all in on a regular basis. Here's what's on my mind these days:

1) Michael Vick came across as being fairly genuine at his press conference today, but it's going to take some time before he can convince me and the rest of the general public that he's actually sorry. Time heals all wounds, and Vick had better use that time (most likely in the slammer) to actually UNDERSTAND what he did wrong. Right now, most of us just think you're sorry you got caught, Mike. That can change, but not overnight. Start thinking about what you want to represent when you get out of prison while you hammer out those license plates.

2) I love the CFL. But only in the Canadian Football League would a team honor two guys that were cut in training camp just three months earlier. That's the case with former Ti-Cats Mike Morreale and Rob Hitchcock, who will be saluted during this weekend's Labour Day game at Ivor Wynne. What's the message here? "Guys, you're not good enough to play on this team, but damn, you used to be good!" Here's an idea: don't bring them to camp. If you're really not sure that these "all-time greats" can even make the roster, do the right thing by telling them before they get the axe. If one of the other 7 teams really believes they can still play, they'll find a camp to go to. And to honor them just three months later seems way too weird.

3) People are already complaining about the Canucks' new look before the jersey unveiling on Wednesday. They're upset that Johnny Canuck wasn't used and that the Orca logo is still involved instead of the stick in the rink. They're more focussed on the logo than the overall look of the jersey. Have you seen the jerseys the Canucks have worn for most of their existence? Their yellow jerseys were some of the worst in the history of sports. This team had a third jersey that appeared to be salmon in colour. And the most recent ones were passable, but barely. Canucks' fans should just thank their lucky stars that management decided to use the blue, green and white colour scheme. To me, the logo isn't that big of a deal if you've got good colours, as long as it isn't so offside that it draws all of the attention (and this one doesn't). And as for those who can't believe that the stick-in-the-rink isn't the primary logo, are you looking at the same thing I am? I'm all about simplicity, but it's just not a great logo.

That's it for now, I'll check in with you later in the week. By the way, the movie Superbad is Super Good. Not really suitable for the minors in crowd, but I laughed out loud too many times to count.